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Preventive

64 - The Association between Intensive Parenting Attitudes and Topical Fluoride Opposition

Friday, May 23, 2025
12:00 PM - 12:20 PM MDT
Has Audio

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Alice Ko, DMD (she/her/hers)

    Pediatric Dental Resident
    University of Washington, Seattle, WA
    University of Washington
    Seattle, Washington, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Adam C. Carle, MA, PhD

    Professor
    Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
    Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

    • Research Mentor(s)

  • Donald L. Chi, DDS, PhD

    Associate Dean for Research, School of Dentistry;
    University of Washington, Seattle, WA
    University of Washington
    Seattle, Washington, United States

    • Program Director(s)

  • TT

    Thomas Tanbonliong, DDS

    Program Director
    University of Washington
    Seattle, Washington, United States

Abstract:



Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between intensive parenting attitudes and topical fluoride opposition.



Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data on caregivers’ beliefs about fluoride for their children. An 85-item survey was administered from November 2020 to September 2021 (N=1,135). Participants were eligible if they were an English-speaking caregiver of a child under 18 years. The outcome variable was topical fluoride opposition, defined as how opposed the caregiver was to topical fluoride for their child (self-reported scale of 1-10). The explanatory variable was intensive parenting attitudes, defined as the extent of child-centered, time-intensive, and self-sacrificing parenting, measured as a composite score from three survey items. Linear regression was used to test the study hypothesis, adjusting for confounders. All analyses were performed in SPSS.



Results: The mean±SD caregiver age was 41.7±8.8 years, with most caregivers women (73.0%), white (55.5%), non-Hispanic (79.3%), having greater than a 4-year degree (28.5%), and private dental insurance (45.1%). The mean±SD topical fluoride opposition score was 2.0±3.1, and mean±SD intensive parenting attitudes score was 1.7±0.4. After adjusting for confounders, a 1-point increase in intensive parenting attitudes score was associated with a 0.3-point increase in topical fluoride opposition score (95% CI: 0.1, 0.4; p<0.001). (P < 0.001).



Conclusions: Intensive parenting attitudes are significantly and positively associated with topical fluoride opposition. Clinicians can utilize these findings to assess a caregiver’s intensive parenting attitudes, learn about their concerns, and address them by tailoring communication strategies to discuss appropriate risk-based recommendations about topical fluoride for their child.

Identify Supporting Agency and Grant Number:

The data utilized in this study was supported by grant funding from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), grant number #R01DE026741.